I’ve been writing about how to land your dream job for years. But the fact remains that marketing internships are some of the most competitive positions around.
So I’m going to be brutally honest with you: it’s not easy. You’ll need a solid resume, good grades, lots of passion, and a little bit of luck.
Fortunately, there are several ways to get ahead of the pack when applying for jobs as an intern in this competitive field! Let’s take a look at them now:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Develop a strong foundation in marketing principles. |
| Gain practical experience through internships or part-time jobs. |
| Showcase your creativity and problem-solving abilities. |
| Network with professionals in the marketing industry. |
| Continuously learn and stay updated on marketing trends. |
| Highlight your passion for marketing during interviews. |
| Seek mentorship and feedback from experienced professionals. |
| Consider joining marketing clubs or organizations. |
| Stay organized and manage your time effectively. |
| Embrace opportunities for growth and take on new challenges. |
1. Do Your Homework
Before you start applying for marketing internships, it’s important to do your research. You should learn everything you can about the company, its industry and its competitors. Here are some things you should look into:
The company itself. Study their website and social media accounts to get an idea of what they stand for and how they communicate with their customers/clients/fans. Are there any recent news articles about them that might give insight into their culture?
Read employee reviews on Glassdoor if possible (many employees won’t want to comment publicly but some will). Find out who the leaders are at this company, both past and present what kind of labels have been put on them over time.
How many times has this CEO been compared favorably or unfavorably with Steve Jobs? What awards have they won recently? What awards did Steve Jobs win when he was CEO at Apple?
These details will help inform how companies behave internally while also giving context as to why certain decisions may be made later down the line during negotiations between employer and candidate once an offer has been made (see #5 below).
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2. Meet The Rising Stars
Meet the rising stars in your industry.
It’s easy to think of the marketing interns that you meet as mentors and try and copy them, but don’t go in with a fixed idea of how they did it all. Instead, ask questions like “How did you get into this field? What were some of your first experiences like?
What has been your biggest challenge so far? How can I grow my skills even faster than what I’m currently learning at school?”
Don’t be afraid to ask questions that may seem silly or dumb — these are some of the most important things we can learn from them!
3. Get Social
Social media is a great way to showcase your personality and get your name out there. If you’re looking for a job in marketing, you must have an active presence on social media.
This can help you network with other marketers, find jobs and even learn from others who are already working in the industry!
Social media can also be a good place to meet people who might be able to help you find opportunities or give advice about how to land your dream internship or job. So don’t be afraid of being yourself be unique!
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4. Be Curious
Be curious. Be open to learning, asking questions, and understanding what you don’t know. Asking for clarification is important because you might have a question that could be answered simply if you asked it.
Maybe someone will share an idea or information with you that changes your perspective on something entirely. Maybe they’ll teach you something new that they’ve learned in their career thus far (and then maybe they’ll give you some tips).
Regardless of how much help people offer or how much feedback they give, take everything in as if it were the most interesting thing ever said by anyone throughout history because honestly?
It probably is! You just don’t know yet! And it’s always better to be curious than afraid of learning new things!
5. Do A Great Job No Matter What It Is
When you’re asked to do something, no matter how big or small, make sure you do it well. If your boss asks you to write an email, be sure that the tone of the email is professional and well-written.
If they ask you to set up a meeting room for an upcoming presentation, take pride in making sure that everything is perfect before your co-workers arrive. You never know what will impress someone on your team!
If there is something that needs improving at work and yes, there always is take note of what is bothering you and find a way to fix it. Maybe there are too many meetings scheduled during lunchtime?
Maybe the company needs some better communication with clients? Whatever it may be, take action by bringing these concerns up with others in charge so they can help make improvements for everyone involved in those areas
6. Always Be Ready To Work Hard And Learn New Things
Sometimes, you’ll have to take on tasks that seem unrelated to your job description. You may feel overwhelmed at times but always remember: these are opportunities for you to learn and grow into a better employee.
If you’re willing to take on new roles, responsibilities, or projects (and do them well), it will show future employers how versatile and capable of adapting quickly you are.
If one task seems too much for you? It’s okay! Ask for help from whoever is around your coworkers or supervisor and make sure they know how hard of a time you’re having with it.
Then take some time away from the project so that when it comes back around again later on in the day or week (or month!), it won’t be as overwhelming anymore because now someone else knows what needs doing and how best to do it themselves!
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7. Be Nice!
Be nice to everyone. This includes the people in your office who aren’t necessarily your friends, but also those you have to deal with daily.
The person who makes your coffee, runs the elevator, and takes out the trash may seem like an annoyance or inconvenience, but they’re all important pieces of making sure that your day runs smoothly.
And if you treat them with respect and kindness, they’ll be much more likely to go out of their way for you.
Be nice even when people don’t return the favor and even if it’s hard for them to do so!
You want to make it obvious that you are willing to put yourself in situations where others won’t necessarily return these gestures (such as working late or coming to work on weekends), and that this isn’t something that bothers or intimidates you at all.
Finally: Be nice even when someone is mean! For example, if someone comes in late every morning without any attempt at being apologetic (or doesn’t apologize at all).
While also taking more breaks than anyone else around here…I’d be tempted just not saying anything about it because what good would come outta complaining?
8. Don’t Be Afraid To Ask Questions Or Insist On Answers To Things You Don’t Understand Or Need More Information On
It is important to understand what you are being asked to do. If you don’t understand something, ask for clarification. If you don’t understand something and need more information, ask for it! You have nothing to lose by asking questions.
The worst thing that can happen is that someone will say no or not give an answer because they don’t feel like explaining – but if this happens, take note of it and ask someone else who might be able to help or explain things further.
Asking questions may seem like a daunting task at first (it certainly did for me), but once you get over that initial fear of asking people things and start getting answers instead of vague responses or empty shrugs, it becomes much easier!
9. Learn How To Write Well And Quickly Across Many Platforms And Mediums
As a marketer, you’ll be writing content for every platform and medium. You’ll write for the web and social media (e.g., Facebook, Twitter), email campaigns, advertisements, reference copy on your company website and blog posts, white papers or ebooks, and probably many more.
If you want to succeed in marketing today, then you need to be able to write with efficiency and clarity across all of these platforms.
That means learning how to write well in different styles so that it reads well across the spectrum of online formats from 140 characters on Twitter all the way up through long-form blog posts or white papers that could take an hour or more per page.
10. If You Want To Work In Social Media, Make Sure Your Own Social Media Networks Are Squeaky Clean And Professional-Looking And Always Double Check (And Triple Check!) Everything Before You Publish It!
The last thing a potential employer wants to see is an account that has too many selfies or drunk party pics on it.
It also doesn’t help if your Twitter feed looks like it was written by a pre-teen; make sure all of your tweets are typo-free and don’t say anything that could be offensive or misconstrued (see tip #9).
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11. Always Be Polite, Respectful, And Responsible At All Times Because No One Likes A Jerk (Or A Slacker)
The last thing that you want to be known for is being a jerk or a slacker. You’ve worked hard to get where you are, so don’t ruin it now by being lazy or disrespectful it will only make your life harder.
Furthermore, if you’re not willing to put in the extra effort when asked and do your job well, then people will notice and won’t be able to trust you with more responsibility in the future.
As a rule of thumb: always have good manners when interacting with coworkers and clients even if they’re rude or incompetent themselves!
When dealing with clients or employers, remember that they are still people who deserve respect even if they don’t treat you well at times (and sometimes no matter how much they might deserve it).
This includes both face-to-face encounters as well as written communication such as emails, texts, and social media messages (see next tip).
12. Never Send Emails When You’re Angry Or Upset Sleep On It For A Night If You Have To, But Always Remember The Golden Rule Of Emails And Text Messages They Never Go Away, Even If You Think You’ve Deleted Them!
Let’s face it: we all get angry. Sometimes at work, sometimes at home, sometimes just because we didn’t get enough sleep the night before and feel like there’s a ton of stress sitting in our gut.
But when you’re sending an email or text message while angry, you have to remember one thing: these aren’t temporary messages that can be deleted or forgotten about later on.
They’re permanent; they will remain forever in someone’s inbox or if things go badly for you, they could be used against you by your employer (or even yourself).
So if something is bothering me at work and I need to vent about it but want to make sure my boss never sees this email/text message again?
The best thing I can do is sleep on it for a night or two and then delete the message from my phone before sending anything out into cyberspace–because once something’s out there online, there’s no going back!
13. Never Do Anything Illegal (For Obvious Reasons)
You can never go wrong by not doing anything illegal.
It’s a simple, but important rule: don’t break the law. This includes stealing, cheating, lying, gossiping, and being mean, rude, or disrespectful to people in any way. Your future job depends on it!
Conversely, you also want to make sure that your professional conduct is always up to par when applying for an internship or even after landing one of these coveted positions at some of the world’s most prestigious companies.
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Conclusion
To sum up, the most important thing to remember when applying for a marketing internship is to make sure that your resume is well-written and engaging.
You can also use social media to showcase your skills as well as any other relevant experience you have outside of school or work. Finally, do not forget about networking it’s an easy way to get your name out there without much effort at all!
Further Reading
Students: How to Land Your Dream Marketing Internship: This blog post offers valuable tips and advice specifically tailored to students looking to secure their dream marketing internship.
How to Land a Marketing Job: 7 Essential Steps: Discover the seven essential steps to landing a marketing job, including building a strong resume, networking, and showcasing your skills.
10 Ways to Land a Remote Digital Marketing Internship: If you’re interested in remote digital marketing internships, this article provides ten practical strategies to help you secure one and make the most of the opportunity.
FAQs
What skills are essential for a marketing intern?
A marketing intern should possess a combination of strong communication skills, creativity, analytical abilities, and a basic understanding of marketing principles. It’s also beneficial to have knowledge of digital marketing tools and platforms.
How can I stand out during a marketing internship interview?
To stand out during a marketing internship interview, showcase your passion for marketing, highlight any relevant coursework or projects, demonstrate your problem-solving abilities, and share examples of your creativity and teamwork.
What are some ways to gain practical marketing experience as a student?
To gain practical marketing experience as a student, consider joining marketing clubs or organizations on campus, volunteering for marketing initiatives, seeking out internships or part-time jobs in the field, and working on personal marketing projects or campaigns.
How important is networking for landing a marketing internship?
Networking is crucial for landing a marketing internship. Building connections with professionals in the industry can provide valuable insights, job leads, and potential recommendations. Attend networking events, join industry-related groups, and leverage online platforms like LinkedIn.
How can I continue learning and developing my marketing skills as an intern?
As an intern, you can continue learning and developing your marketing skills by taking online courses or certifications, attending industry webinars or conferences, seeking feedback and mentorship from experienced professionals, and staying up to date with industry trends and best practices.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.